Peter Asher Coffees

Recently, I had the opportunity to sample a couple of coffees by upstart indie roaster, Peter Asher Coffees.  I pulled some shots of their Northern Italian Espresso blend. My first impression was the lightness of the roast.  Compared with the darkness of the roast currently in the hopper,

Northern Italian on right

Peter Asher shows off an indication of its roasting philosophy.  Clearly there is an attempt here to find the peak roast for the bean, rather than going for a dark smoky flavor.  The second thing to strike my attention was the crema. Holy crap there was a lot!  High holy crema made up nearly all of the double shot by the end of the extraction.  The flavor of the shot was pretty true to its name.  It has a bright quality, perhaps a bit sweeter and less dry than its Italian counterpart.  Care has to be taken not to under-extract this shot; its sharpness is a bit offensive if the shot is sour.

Northern Italian flavor profile.

Compare the shape of the flavor profile to this one I sketched of Illy Espresso in Europe

I also pulled a shot of their Black Velvet Blend.  This was a very dark roast with a lot of oil to give luster to the bean.  It was strong in the mid and low tones with a bit of tart.

Black Velvet as espresso extraction

It makes a decent espresso, but how is it as a drip coffee?

In drip form the Black Velvet blend really shines. The sharp peak mellows to a caramel drizzle. The mouth-feel and body are satisfying, supporting the deep richness of the smoky dark roast. The dark roast does not, however, eliminate all the distinctiveness of these beans. The tart experienced in the espresso extraction becomes a playful dance on the tongue in the brewed form, and the mid-tones still possess a woody quality.  This cup tastes like fun: rich, satisfying and yet playful.  There is a definite nostalgia that is evoked in me by this flavor.  It tastes like an emotion—happiness.  I have tasted this quality before. In fact I am reminded of a good peaberry Harar.

Dossier of a coffee spy: Chicago

While on sabbatical, I made it a point to sample all the espresso at as many shops as I could.  My many trips to Metropolis Coffee earned me the moniker Coffee Spy by the staff there. Here are my findings

In the many shops I tried in Chicago, I only found three different espresso blends: Metropolis “Red Line,” Intelligencia “Black Cat” and a blend by Coffee and Tea Exchange, a Chicago company.

A pour-over at Metropolis

Metropolis

Metropolis Coffee was perhaps the most impressive shop I visited.  Metropolis’ roasting operation extends to many shops and retail locations.  Yet Metropolis has but one location, fiercely committed to the Edgewater neighborhood, without the common aspirations to franchise. Their commitment to detail makes me as happy as a giddy Quixote gazing on his peerless Dulcinea.  I so enjoyed my experiences here, I returned many times in spite of there being so many coffee shops and so little time. Whether it’s starting an iced coffee with a bit of velvety steamed milk, or putting five minutes of attention into a pour over drip coffee, it is the preparation excellence that makes this shop shine. Their Red Line espresso, named after the train line that takes Edgewater downtown, is intensely mid-toned, chocolaty and resinous with bright tart sparkles in the end. I think modern day vampires might also find this exquisite espresso a nice substitute, as it reminds me a little of the sanguineous flavor for which they so pine.

New Wave Coffee

New Wave Coffee

While at the Milwaukee Ave arts festival, I went to this shop a couple times.  They served Metropolis espresso in a festive and artsy atmosphere so appropriate to the neighborhood.  The hipster vibe was pleasant and their treatment of Metropolis’ offerings was nicely done. 

On afternoon a walk down Clark Street brought me to a couple more coffee shops, Koppi and Coffee Studio.

Koppi a Traveler’s Café

Walking in this shop transported me some mid-oriental market place. In the front windows were low tables with cushions to recline by. They focused on their world food offerings and their espresso from Coffee and Tea exchange was on the upper end of adequate. The atmosphere was so killer there, however, that I can see why it is an area favorite.

Coffee Studio

Back up Clark toward Edgewater I found Coffee Studio. They were serving Intelli’s Black Cat espresso.  I had a friendly conversation with the barista about my espresso experiences so far in Chicago.  We both agreed that the Black Cat was strangely mellow that day.  Black Cat has a deep low end and usually has a tobacco smokiness.

Today that earthy quality was muted.  We could only speculate that it was because of the extraordinary humidity that Chicago was subjected to during that heat wave. The atmosphere was more refined here than most of the other shops I visited.  Clean lines and modern finishes gave it an upwardly mobile feel.

Caffe Streets

My doppio and cortado at Caffe Streets

On our way home from Minnesota, I was able to hit one of the many shops I missed during our stay.  I chose to go to Caffe Streets, which is the progeny of Barista Champion Mike Philips. This is the most refined coffee shop I have ever visited. Rich woods are layered on every surface from the counters to the ceiling. They serve Black Cat along with one or two single origin coffees as espresso every day. I sampled the El Salvadoran Santa Anna from Handsome Roasters as a single origin espresso.  While lacking the roundness of a blend, it held up quite well to the extraction. It produced a tart flavor in the mid to treble range. I also tried the Black Cat in a cortado.  The Cortado is a Chicago standard that I haven’t run across elsewhere.  It is about half espresso and half steamed milk (espresso cut with milk or a very short and strong latte).  Caffe Streets uses a local low-temperature-pasteurized milk steamed into a velvety micro-foam that melds exquisitely with Black Cat’s harsh sweetness.  It is served in a short breakfast tumbler with beautifully wrought latte art.

Caffe Streets bar with drip tower

A specialty I didn’t have time to try, the Neat, is a cold slow drip iced coffee produced in a tower of beakers and tubes the sight of which geeked my poor heart out.

Next time I’m in Chicago I need to remember to try Wormwhole (the home of Mocha Puffs), Chava, and Ipsento.  Have any others I need to try?  Leave a comment.

The Aesthetic Thread

I have come to see an aesthetic thread running through my life. It is there in my tastes in music, art, literature, food, and drink. The spectacular thing is that this thread resonates with my passion for God like the string on a violin.

Holy Longing marks my relationship with God. I have a passionate desire for intimacy with my Divine Lover that has its root in Eros and stretches for Agape. There is a bittersweet quality to our intercourse, my God and I. When I feel surrounded by God’s presence I feel joy and comfort, satisfaction and wholeness, but I also feel tears well up and a lump come to my throat. I rest in God’s presence and at the same time I mourn that I am not consummated and consumed in divine rapture. I have chosen words that may shock the reader with erotic connotations. This is appropriate because the holy longing I am describing is wholly a function of Eros. It is the divine spark and divine madness spoken of by philosophers and mystics alike.

God tastes like espresso!

Recently I was on a retreat and Fr. Bernie, who was leading it, challenged us to imagine what God tastes like.  I was surprised to find that God tastes like espresso.  I am still thinking through the implications of this. 

The flavor profile I look for in a shot of espresso is one that rumbles and grabs my tongue. It has a boldness and a clean finish with a fine aftertaste.  It seems I want that particular profile because it reminds me of how I experience God.  I find I look for similar qualities in music, jazz and blues that digs in with visceral emotion, art deco portraiture that is heroic and lush, Greek food... the list goes on.

What word can I use to describe this experience?  Dare I say it?

The Spirituality of Coffee

As proof that there are other people crazy about God and espresso, I submit for your consideration Billy Kangas. He has created a liturgy for making a cappuccino that I can't wait to use in practice! What an awesome way to find God in everyday life.

Wrecked for God

The Divine Conquest by A.W. Tozer

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Are you sure you want to be filled with a Spirit who, though He is like Jesus in His gentleness and love, will nevertheless demand to be Lord of your life? Are you willing to let your personality be taken over by another, even if that other by the Spirit of God Himself? If the Spirit takes charge of your life He will expect unquestioning obedience in everything. He ill not tolerate in you the self-sins even though they are permitted and excused by most Christians. By the self-sins I mean self-love, self-pity, self-seeking, self-confidence, self-righteousness, self-aggrandizement, self-defense. You will find the spirit to be in sharp opposition to the easy ways of the wold and of the mixed multitude within the precincts of religion. He will be jealous over you for good. He will not allow you to boast or swagger or show off. He will take the direction of your life away from you. He will reserve the right to test you, to discipline you, to chasten you for your soul's sake. He may strip you of many of those borderline pleasures which other Christians enjoy but which are to you a source of refined evil..." (123).

Being so immersed in the world of espresso, I have been wrecked to inferior coffee. At times I ironically proclaim, usually to Elaine, that my coffee snobbery is my burden to bear. That is the way it is with the Spirit, says Tozer, He wrecks us. We no longer are satisfied with the "borderline pleasures," but long for something deeper and more real. The good and pleasurable Folgers or Maxwell House becomes "refined evil."

"Through it all He will enfold you in a love so vast, so mighty, so all-embracing, so wondrous that your very losses will seem like gains and your small pains like pleasures. Yet the flesh will whimper under His yoke and cry out against it as a burden too great to bear. And you will be permitted to enjoy the solemn privilege of suffering to 'fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ' in your flesh for His body's sake, which is the Church. Now, with the conditions before you, do you still want to be filled with the Holy Spirit?" (124).

Reading this my mind again wandered to a hot straight shot of espresso. Those of us who drink it, know that we don't do it for the fun of it. It is not a soft drink. No it is hard and rumbly. Its ultimate pleasure is through the suffering.

Dear God, wreck me for you. Bring me along the way of the cross!


View all my reviews.

A Spiritual Rule in Espresso

Musings on the Parable of the Coffee Shop

The parts to a good espresso:

Roasting, Blending and Grinding

The first thing needed in preparing good espresso is a good blend of beans properly roasted and ground. As the espresso of God I too must be properly prepared and ground.

An espresso bean needs to be roasted darkly. As the roasting process deepens, the bean releases its essence, what we commonly call oils, and they form a dark luster on the outside of the bean. This is where the flavors reside.

I must submit to the fires of roasting. Following Christ means submitting to discomfort at times. I also must submit to those who God has placed in my life, like my wife and spiritual director, to bear God’s word to me.

A good complex espresso should contain a variety of beans to give it a round complex flavor. A single origin espresso can be fun to play with, but nothing has the well roundedness of a blend.

I have to attend to what goes into me. Physically I must attend to my eating. I have to make a
discipline of eating breakfast, that’s been a tough practice, but my metabolism requires it. I also need to eat whole grains and lots of veggies. Likewise there are times when I must refrain from the food I love so much. I need to fast, and Fridays, before our Sabbath begins is a good time for that.

Grinding is critical. The beans must be shaved into uniform particles, and the size of those particles control how long water is in contact with the beans and how well the extraction occurs. Too slow and the water will completely leach the oils and also some of the bitter substances in the bean. Too fast and the espresso will sour, lacking the oils to create a good crema. The grind needs to be adjusted several times throughout the day to respond to changing temperature and humidity.

I need to be adjusted throughout the day as well. I need to practice the presence of God. God is the Good Barista who is always fine-tuning the grind and watching the extractions. I will put myself back in his hand for adjustment through out the day, first by bringing him to mind moment by moment. Second, by praying the liturgy of the hours. The times set aside through out my day give me interaction with scripture, prayer, poetry and meditation.

The tamp

Another key element to a good shot of espresso is the tamp. To receive the high pressure of the espresso machine and still keep the water slow enough to be in contact with the beans for about 30 seconds, the ground coffee has to be packed tightly. It takes 40-50 pounds of pressure to pack the coffee into the filter basket.

Like the particles of coffee I have to be packed into my community. I need them around me. To this end part of my rule is to practice hospitality. For me this means conversations at the coffee shop and dinners at the table. At home it means being open and available to my children and wife. It means creating an atmosphere where it is easy to be good for anyone who comes through our doors. When possible it means extending the bounds of our family to others so that we can live in intentional community. Intentional community has its rules too, like praying the hours. At night we get together and have family devotions and pray the hours. I need to also get back into the habit of praying with Elaine every night, confessing our sins to each other.

Hospitality also means living with responsibility toward the Earth. Taking care of the world is also a way to create sacred space. I want to eliminate my carbon footprint and live the ‘r’s of reducing, reusing, and recycling. This is a part of the wider discipline of simplicity that affects our relationship in community.

As a part of a church, hospitality also means visiting other members and inviting them over.

Pulling the shot

The barista locks the portafilter into the group head and starts the hot water flowing. The pump starts to whir and forces water through tubes that wind through the boiler picking up heat and out to the group shower head where they form channels and saturate the puck. Then a small honey gold stream of espresso forms at the bottom of the portafilter. It runs out the size of a rat’s tail filling the demitasse with deep rust crema. Then after about 30 seconds when all the goodness of the bean is extracted, the barista observes a small pale dot form on the deep rust and stops the cycle.

I need the water of the Spirit flowing through my life. Here are some channels of study I recognize that I find the water of the Spirit to flowing: Poetry, Scripture, Art (both the appreciation and creation), Literature (I read a masterpiece of literature at bedtime) and Meditation (contemplation of people and nature top the practice).

Enjoy

The good barista appreciates the color variations as the shot is pulled. The shot goes from deep rust to blond in tiger stripes. Then the barista will enjoy the aroma and warmth of the espresso as he gives it to the person who needs it. The crema on a good espresso is the hallmark of quality and the celebration of the shot.

I need times of enjoyment and rest in my life too. I need to live in Sabbath rhythms. As a pastor, Sunday isn’t a very restful day, so we have purposed to make sundown Friday to sundown Saturday our Sabbath. We want to incorporate rituals like lighting candles and blessings and meals together.

I also need to take a retreat 4-6 times per year to rest in the presence of my beautiful Barista.

Sabbath also means celebration. Both during the Sabbath time and throughout the week we need to set aside time for romance, getting a sitter, and having time as a couple.

We worship. This is a no brainer for a pastor; I get paid to worship with my congregation. As part of my rule for life, I also want to make it a point to worship with other traditions as often as possible.

Celebration also means music and dancing with abandon, creating and painting, and enjoying good food and great espresso.

Ultimately I am not my own God pulled this espresso for someone, I must be made perfect for Christ who I find in the little ones around me. That is who he hands the hot demitasse off to
after all.

Bring me to life

I was looking over some journal entries from high school the other day and I quipped in one that I was an extrovert stuck in an introvert's body. That got me thinking, what ever lead me to think I was an extrovert? It was a perhaps over simplistic definition: extroverts are those who are energized by being around people. Introverts will be drained around people and energized by solitude.

I find I do need relationship - it brings me to life,
yet small talk deadens me.

A good Bible Study makes me feel alive
but breakfast with many of the same people is exhausting.

Elaine's smile, sultry eyes and affirming word make life well up behind my eyelids
failing to contemplate her personhood, taking her for granted, these things drain life from my face, turning my color to black and white.

Hitting the town alone or visiting my friend Steve is a needful escape
but I don't indulge in it because I feel I must be with my family and being stuck at home deadens me.

Like, I love having a day off,
but spending my day stuck at home with the kids with out the car so Elaine can make us money deadens me.

Great coffee brings me life and communion with God (you've all seen it!)
but then even coffee is a fickle friend.

Good sexy jazz ushers me into the very throne room of God,
while, of course, pop-country can drive me out of my skin (or smooth jazz for that matter, I like it rough!).

A worship service with friends can give me a buzz
while the same worship service with strangers makes me jealous.

The disciplines are bright and shining friends
but routine and duty kills my soul

I guess all these things are a strange dance of motive, intention and delight. I don't know what I am. Am I extrovert or introvert? I find there is so much coffee I can't enjoy any more I wonder, do I even like coffee? Am I a rural pastor a big city bohemian? I guess we all could have lists of what brings us to life and what deadens us and they would all be different. The real answer to what I am is: unique. I am one delighted in by God and he has built some buttons in me that when pushed bring light to my eyes and spring to my step. How wonderful!

What would Michigan style espresso look like?

That is an interesting question. What flavor profiles do you associate with other regions of the US? I have heard the NW has its distinct profile that is brighter than most of what I really get into. I usually imagine the flavor profiles of espresso like an equalizer on my stereo. The bass tones of the deep body and the bright treble of the acidity create a picture with curves like the equalizer knobs.

For instance, the espresso I currently use in my shop is CBI's Panache Espresso Marrakesh. It looks like this:

When traveling in the mid west I discovered a flavor profile that was new to me. I had intense midtones that offered sweetness to the milk drinks, but were a bit too sweet for my ideal straight shot. This is what that looked like:

Some times that profile has a brightness playing on the high end (the blue line). I don't know if that profile is indicative of the midwest (I had it in two shops in Nebraska) or if it is a style borrowed from somewhere else.
As I thought about a flavor profile that would capture the terroir of Michigan, I thought that it would have to have the brightness of a cold winter morning, the growl of industrial machinery and the sweetness of Motown. As I visualized the shape that would make it seemed ironically appropriate:

Goodbye Blue Monday review ****

Today I have the privilege to come home to Goodbye Blue Monday coffee and tea. I grew up in Northfield, but Blue Monday didn’t become my home until I went away to college and needed the place of refuge and good coffee. There is a difference today though. In keeping with my recent tradition of reviewing coffee shops as I travel, I come into Blue Monday looking not to simply feed my need for the comfortable and familiar. Today I wish to experience Blue Monday for what it has to offer.

For the first time I sampled Monday’s bright and yet full bodied espresso in all its naked splendor, before following it up with my favorite Americano. The espresso is very palatable, not as deep and rumbly as I long for, but it finishes well, very clean. The staff at the Blue Monday is tight lipped about the intimate fifteen-year relationship they have with their unnamed roaster.

It is the décor that to me represents the quintessential bohemian coffee culture. It has developed an eclectic mix of industrial, with galvanized steel on the walls and ceilings contrasted against smooth darkly stained wood. The walls sport collegiate pop art, while the lamps bring an oriental flair with hand made shades. The furniture channels fifties mod and is very comfortable.

The menu is straightforward: coffee done right, smooth espresso, a huge selection of exceptional loose-leaf teas. There is no need for latte art or signature drinks to attract people, just the excellence of the bean.

Bjava Coffee and Tea

In an unassuming corner of an Indianapolis strip mall, across the parking lot from a Starbucks, Bjava Coffee and Tea makes its home. Its greatness does not rest in chic environs or bohemian atmosphere, but in the passionate quality of its drinks.

I came away from my time spent with owner B. J. Davis and Indy.com’s top barista, Andy Gillman with a new respect for the signature drink. Their traditional cappuccinos start with a double shot of espresso (roasted by PT’s coffee company). The shot has a smooth body with ample deep rust colored crema and the brightness of sunshine on my tongue. Add to that a balanced velvety microfoam of milk to fill a 6oz cup. The real magic lies in the flavors of these culinary masterpieces. I was so taken by the selection of signature traditional cappuccinos, that I had to try two.

The Honey Lavender Cappuccino:
This is Andy Gillman’s signature drink. “I made a syrup from lavender buds,” he said, “and added a dash of honey that comes from [local farm], JTs bees. The honey is terrific, packed with floral flavors that build on the lavender and draw it across the tongue.” This drink blew me away. Now, I am not much for flavored coffee drinks, but this drink opened my eyes to new horizons. It lacked the overt sweetness of a drink made with flavor syrups. It was more of an epicurean creation, the antithesis of a froofy dessert coffee streamlined for mass consumption.

The Shagadellic Shooter:
This cappuccino takes its root from the heart of Indiana lore. There is a 200-year-old local recipe for Shagbark Hickory Syrup that is made at a local cottage business. This uniquely local flavor is paired exquisitely with cardamom, which is freshly cracked onto the foam.

The true genius of Bjava is in the creative efforts of B. J. Davis and her staff. It is the kind of shop that deserves its loyal customers and the buzz of the Indianapolis cognoscenti.

The Abbey Coffeehouse

An almost incense like Mediterranean spice scent stuck my nose as I entered. There was potential that my visit to the Abbey Coffeehouse could have been a spiritual experience. The counter, the lights, and a few pews looked salvaged from a cathedral. A second look showed how worn the place was. The imitation tinning was falling from the ceiling in places giving the painted clouds a melancholy tone. The decay also showed behind the bar. The vintage Astoria espresso machine (in operation at the Abbey for 10 years) looked like it could either pull a sweet vintage shot or shake apart in the attempt. On the wall were numerous certificates awarding the Abbey best Coffeehouse awards from various magazines, the most recent I saw being 2005. This was became the biggest symbol of decay to me as I sampled the espresso. The barista pulled the doser lever twice into the bottom of a single shot basket. I couldn't even see anything in there when he proceeded to tamp it with the attachment on the grinder. He pulled the resulting four-ounce shot into a chipped 12 ounce mug. There was but a trace of pallid crema on the surface of this obviously over extracted tincture. I drank a respectable amount and then opted for the house blend. It was strangely spicy with an all too bright and demure finish, the shop’s whole atmosphere (the incense quality as well as the decay) in the cup.

Abbey Coffeehouse - Indianapolis, IN, 46204-1130

Espresso Excursion

On our recent trip to Petoskey, I made it a point to sample espresso from all the coffee shops I could find on the way.

Java Junction ***
West Branch, MI
Located on the railroad tracks, in a building that used to be a grain elevator, the interior has a quaint cafe feel. White pine mixed with rail and country artifacts. While the atmosphere wasn't what I look for in a coffeehouse, there were plenty of regulars there, of all ages. There was a lot of energy with the guests talking sports or politics, there was a real sense of community that was great to be around. I have concerns about their milk frothing technique, but each of the places I visited I had either a straight shot or an americano so I could comment on the espresso. The espresso here was sharp - a high acidity with a medium body.

Roast and Toast *****
Petoskey, MI
I made a point of stopping here as one of my Barista Exchange friends works there. With big blue neon signage, corrugated steel, and mosaics made of coffee cups, this place has a festive atmosphere to say the least, attracting a generally young, hip crowd. It was a happening place with a brisk trade throughout the afternoon. What really impressed me was that they integrated an extensive lunch and dinner menu with out diminishing their emphasis on coffee. The 'spro was good with a booming body and low acidity.

The Woolly Bugger ****
Charlevoix, MI
This shop in Charlevoix is a satellite of a Harbor Springs roastery. The shop is tiny with one table to sit at. There is an understated fly fishing theme. The run a Rancilio machine, and produce a great 'spro - excellent crema and a balanced flavor. I had a straight shot here. The shop is not geared to coffee-to-stay, and unfortunately my espresso came in a four oz. paper cup. We sat in tight quarters by a mom with two toddlers and had friendly conversation.

Truffles Bakery *
As we walked to the Woolly Bugger, I noticed the bakery next door also served espresso. I wondered how two espresso shops did next to each other, especially with the bakery and additional seating available in this shop. On our way back to our car I thought it would be nice to sample their espresso as well. As soon as I walked to the counter, I told my wife, "oops, lets go." There were red flags sent up that told me that I would not be happy with the espresso here. They had a Rancilio machine like the Wolly Bugger, but the portafilters were sitting cold on top of the machine. On our brisk way out the owner, an exceedingly nice man, asked me what we had come in for and I felt I had to acquiesce and try his stuff. Back at the counter I saw more red flags. He had a nylon tamp (probably came with the machine), at least he had one, but after admiring the tamp in the Woolly Bugger, my stomach twisted. Then he pulled out a Tupperware bowl covered with plastic wrap and scooped out a couple tablespoons of pre-ground espresso beans! I just wanted to pay and get out. He poured the espresso into a 16oz cup and charged me $2.30. He asked me if it was hot enough. I said, "Yes, it is plenty hot," not having the fortitude to tell him that it had no crema, tasted foul, and all things considered, ridiculously overpriced. My first sip, I thought I could handle it. It wasn't too unlike a drip coffee... second sip, I gagged and nearly threw up. The cup lasted all of a half a block to the nearest trash can.

The Parable of the Coffee Shop

My favorite metaphysical image from Leaper by Geoffrey Wood

The parable of the coffee shop shows that the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who goes into a coffee shop and orders an espresso.

As the man talks across the counter, the coffee guy makes his coffee and sets the cup and saucer on the counter between them. But the man doesn't drink it; he keeps talking, so the coffee gets cold, useless. The coffee guy pours it out and pulls another, sets it up. The man still can't stop talking. The next one goes bad too. So the coffee guy throws that one out too, makes another. And this goes on see?

You may think you are the coffee guy in the parable, but your not -- you're the espresso. (It's like that in parables.) You're not for you. You're some one else's beverage. And God, the coffee guy, he's going to keep remaking you again and again, as many times as it takes until you are drinkable. God's pulling the shots, and he's got standards.

If God changes you, you'd better change.

Contemplative prayer is like a shot of espresso

"Am I really willing to drink this cup?" A question I love to ask my self pushed back from a table at a coffeehouse. Especially if it is a bold, Marrakesh Espresso that rumbles like thunder, grabs your tongue and wrestles you to the floor and finishes with a kiss and a playful bite. Ah the contemplative life!

....Oo! I think I just found another analogy!

Contemplative analogy revisited

The first thing I do when I go into the coffeehouse is pull a test shot. This is both yummy and a chance to quality control. It is a little known fact that the grind must be adjusted several times throughout the day. Humidity and temperature changes affect the way the grounds come out and how much crema the extraction produces. After pulling a test shot, I can fine tune the grind. Fred mentioned today that he did the same thing as a quality control chemist, he first had to calibrate and recalibrate all his instruments. He likened that to his devotional times. The contemplative life recalibrates us to live incarnationally. God definitely likes his coffee with holy high crema!

Social Justice action experiment

My friend Cliff has been going to a soup kitchen in Saginaw once a month. He pastors an ELCA church in our area and is very successful mobilizing his people into action. I went with him the last time they went. Six of us headed out at eight o’clock Friday morning. I’m not much of a morning person, so I was quiet. I had already been up for a while to take my wife and kids to work.
When we arrived, we went straight to work. My first duty was to wash a couple hundred pounds of frozen catfish to fry for lunch. I then moved to the eye wrenching pain of chopping onions. How I wish I had brought my own cooks knife. One of our group brought three cases of cabbage straight from the garden that morning and we made it into an insane amount of coleslaw. Of course under the hair-net, and behind the apron, nestled thoughts about the discipline of service, and remembrance of the presence of God in the onion vapor.
Soon the doors opened and a steady stream of hungry people came in. It was the end of the month and like me, many of these people had run out of their food stamps and wouldn’t be able to buy groceries until next Tuesday. My job was to keep the serving line stocked with whatever they needed. I refilled gallons of fruit punch, and made sure cookies were on hand for desert. I stood behind the front lines. I looked into the faces of the 371 people we served. I tried to discern the thoughts behind their eyes, but they were separated by a stainless steel counter, by one helping, and strange faces, most of which changed every day.
We served in two shifts, and in between we sat and ate in the cafeteria too. I consciously put on my tray exactly what we were serving. I ate in solidarity, but I ate alone. Or, I should say I ate with the other volunteers. We were seated at a table in the middle of the room. My biggest regret is that I didn’t sit at another table, mingling with my comrades of the fringes.
It is strange that my greatest burning desire is always to do that which is least comfortable to my personality. I wanted to sit and talk, have relationship, solidarity beyond the plate. I find that intimidating even with my beloved church family, the less familiar I am with someone the harder that is.
I am not sure to what extent this action extended beyond charity to social justice. It doesn’t seem that much was done to end the causes of hunger, but at least 371 people made it through the day without being hungry.
I have been struggling to make social justice a face to face reality, which is why I chose to go with Cliff. He is a mentor to me in doing and getting done. I had served for a few years as treasurer for the ministerial association as we tried to help families with economic crisis. I began to burn out, not only because I’m not gifted for financial upkeep, but because the money went so fast. I struggled to not place my own judgments on the request, that was the job of the pastor handling the case, but I was also frustrated that our plans to follow up with counsel and education weren’t happening either. I wonder where, and if I can really make any difference.
I am encouraged by the books I have read for my class in Christian Spirituality. They remind me that the difference must start with me. I think about the areas of my life, trying to identify the areas I can influence. With the coffeehouse I’m working on I am presented with some choices. When we go to renovate a building I can incorporate green building techniques, I can pay a living wage to the people who work there, and right now I can select coffee that has been bought at a fair trade.
Some of my people wanted to start a Bible study, that in itself is encouraging to me, but when they started talking about how an out flow of our learning the scripture should be to meet needs, I lit up. “Put skin on the Word!” I proclaimed. They liked that.

Italians make the most beautiful espresso machines

My dream machine! La San Marco

The God Machine

Deus ex machina comes to the rescue again. In ancient Greek plays, when the plot was too thick, and a resolution too hard, a god was lowered in a machine and solved all the problems: the god from the machine. The Greeks had it right. Our critics today look and say that you can’t tie up loose ends so neatly, or you can’t introduce new information or characters at the end to solve everything.

I know better. Come what may, Ella breaking a brand new DVD trying to get it out of its case, or pouring juice on the computer, come cranky spouse or dark day, come cold blooded evangelicals with eyebrows of judgment, the god machine comes to my rescue. Either the sculpture of boiler, tubes and steam is more loving and powerful than the God of my heart, or dear machina is his own instrument. For nothing cures the attitudes of the heart or the maladies of the mind than a well-timed espresso.

Resurrection comes in two-ounce shots.

Later that day...

Though perhaps more responsive than the almighty (a shot of espresso is pulled in thirty seconds), machina is also a fickle friend who’s company is enjoyed only a little at a time. Manic days of too much caffeine and my concentration floats and flits like butterfly on the wing. The molecules in my body vibrate at the resonance of espresso. All else is empty – hollow. Food, I think, may fill the void and calm my vibration. My thoughts and humors are as flighty as my liver and pancreas. Heavy and substantive ideas are solid food, and I hunger, not out of need, but emptiness, want of fullness – of balance – of solidity – of depth. Enter the almighty upstage left.

Phrase of the week

The Coffee Cognoscenti